Under normal circumstances, blood moves up the legs due to muscle contraction and general movement of the feet or legs, such as when walking. If a person is immobilized, unable to move regularly, or has poor circulation brought on by disease, the natural blood return mechanism is impaired, and circulatory problems such as ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolisms can occur.
To mitigate the problems caused by low mobility and poor circulation, it is desirable to enhance circulation through alternative means that attempt to mimic the effects of walking. Ideally, a device to enhance circulation would create the same amount of blood flow to the lower extremities as one would obtain via walking. One exemplary device is a device set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,909,783. While this device significantly enhances circulation to stimulate the effects of walking, further enhancement of circulation to substantially replicate the effects of walking remains desirable.